The Ninja Way
by Hellbound-spirit
Summary: What would you do if the world suddenly turned upside down? Would you change yourself to adjust, and risk breaking apart, or would you keep on going the same way you always have? The ninja way you uphold must be flexible, but can it ever be?
1. Chapter 1

The Ninja Way

**Full Summary: **What would you do if the world suddenly turned upside-down? Would you change yourself to adjust, and risk breaking apart, or would you keep on going the same way you always have? The ninja way you uphold must be flexible, but can it ever be?

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto.

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When Sasuke, the last surviving member of the Uchiha clan and my former infatuation, betrayed us all, I was broken. He was all I could think about for a long time. I was angry with him for leaving, angry that I could not stop him, angry that I couldn't change his mind, and above all else, I was forced to acknowledge the fact that while Naruto and Sasuke had only progressed in their ninja skills, I had remained despicably weak.

Upon realizing that I could not accompany Naruto and the others in the Sasuke Retrieval mission because I would just become a liability, the only thing I could do was to hope that they all came back alive. It would've been better if they had brought Sasuke, but Sasuke was the reason most of them came back half-dead or on the very brink of death. Seeing Naruto wounded so fatally, and the Chidori burn on his chest, and being told that Sasuke was responsible, was a slap in the face for me.

I resolved to be nicer to Naruto. I had hated him, but I came to realize what a great guy he is. He's obnoxious, loud, and sometimes crude, but Naruto is Naruto, and always will be. I formed a brother-sister relationship with him. When he and Jiraiya returned to Konoha with Tsunade-sama who had accepted the position of being the Fifth Hokage, I was relieved to see he was okay. A few days after she arrived, I steeled myself to become stronger. I swore to myself that the next time Naruto confronted Sasuke, I'd be strong enough to help.

Tsunade-sama accepted me as her secondary apprentice because of my excellent chakra control, and the fact that I was allegedly like she was when she was my age. She taught me a lot of useful things, and I practiced medical Ninjutsu. My chakra control made for a superior medic-nin, but even now, I'm convinced that my strongest skill is Genjutsu, and have been working to boost my Taijutsu.

It's been three years since I started training under the Fifth Hokage. I don't know what the future will bring, but whatever happens, I'll never allow myself to be the liability again. I'm going to face things head-on, and the next time an opportunity arises to get Sasuke back, I'll be right beside Naruto, for better, or for worse. My name is Haruno Sakura, and this is my story.

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Sorry guys! bows apologetically I haven't had any inspiration for the next chapter of High School Trauma, so I'm gonna try to get rid of my writer's block by starting a new one in the meantime! This one's a little more serious. There'll be some humor, but this one will be a little less random. I'm trying to work on diversity in my stories, so yeah. The first chapter's short, but I'll try to make them longer, and this chapter was just the introductory chapter, anyway. Ja ne, you guys!


	2. Neji's Revelation

The Ninja Way: Chapter 2 _Neji's Revelation_

**Full Summary: **What would you do if the world suddenly turned upside-down? Would you change yourself to adjust, and risk breaking apart, or would you keep on going the same way you always have? The ninja way you uphold must be flexible, but can it ever be?

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto.

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"Ano sa, ano sa! Sakura-chan! Over here!" Sakura turned towards her blonde friend, flashing him a small smile as she moved to sit next to him. Over three years, Ichiraku's had expanded. It could finally be called a restaurant, rather than a ramen stand.

"Naruto," she greeted as she slid into the seat he'd been patting. "How was your last mission in Taki?"

"It was easy, Sakura-chan!" Naruto replied enthusiastically. "I totally kicked their butts! You shoulda seen me! They were all, "Ooh, we got big-ass swords, ooh", and I was all "Shut the hell up, retards!", and then I used my Kage Bunshin no jutsu and used 1,000 Years of Pain Kunai Style on all of em! Their faces were priceless!" Sakura chuckled lightly at her friend and former teammate, then turned her head as the door opened, revealing Lee and Tenten, Neji following a ways behind them. Naruto waved them over, and Tenten and Lee sat side by side across from Naruto and herself, Neji sliding in next to Sakura, acknowledging her with a curt nod.

"I see you've been overworking yourself again, Neji," Sakura chided. "I told you before; no training or extrenuous activities until I give confirmation that you're fully healed." He looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "Speaking of which..." Sakura muttered, grabbing his left arm gently, pushing back the sleeve of his Hyuga robes and running her fingers over it lightly, sending a small pulse of chakra through his systems to assess the remaining damage. "Well, Neji, it looks like this will be healed in about a week or less, provided that you follow the doctor's orders, of course."

"Very well, Sakura-san," Neji replied monotonously, "I will keep that in mind."

"Glad to hear it, Neji," she said with a grin, "but I've told you time and time again to drop the "-san"!"

"I apologize. It's a habit I've been trying to correct."

Sakura nodded at him happily. Out of all of the people she had come to admire, he was one of the people she admired most. He was strong, intelligent, able to mask his emotions perfectly, naturally talented, and over-all, the perfect ninja. He was everything she wished she could become, and he was good-looking. He was an ANBU captain, and she had sparred against him in the final matches of the Jounin exam. She'd lost, of course. but not without leaving him a few nasty bruises and fractures to remember her by. Her performance was outstanding, and she was promoted the rank. After that, Neji had even offered to help her train from time to time. Neji had helped her to further develop her healing techniques, sometimes watching with his Byakugan as she healed patients, offering advice, and informing her of areas she tended to neglect naturally. Of course, god forbid he ever be the one in need of treatment. Not that he came back from missions with more than a scratch most of the time.

She trained with Lee whenever he was available, trying to improve her Taijutsu skills. She was also starting to develop techniques entirely of her own design. Naruto had at some point, attempted to explain to her the concept of his Rasengan. She was able to reproduce it, somewhat, and was able to incorporate, or convert the raw chakra into elements such as fire, electricity, and water, causing extra damage, were the initial impact not enough. After the incident with Sabaku no Gaara and the Akatsuki, she had been striving even harder. If Akatsuki ever got their hands on Naruto... She didn't know what she would do. Sakura was drawn back from within her memories by Neji's voice in her ear.

"Sakura-san..." Neji muttered quietly, his white eyes piercing into her jade ones, "There is something I think you should know." She gave him her full attention. "I spotted Sasuke near Takigakure. On the way back here. I have reason to believe that the problems in Taki and Ame have to do with him and Sound village. Godaime-sama said not to tell you, but I thought it would be important that you and Naruto, if anyone, would know. He was your teammate after all." Sakura stared at him for a moment. NEJI HYUGA had disobeyed a DIRECT ORDER from the GODAIME HERSELF because he thought that she had the right to know? "If you will excuse me, now, Sakura-san, I still have an extensive mission report to write." He inclined his head to her as he got up.

"Neji, hang on..." Sakura said, effectively halting him. He turned his head to look back at her. Her head was bowed slightly, a deep shadow over her eyes. Suddenly, she looked up at him, positively beaming at him. "Thank you. It means a lot." Neji nodded slightly, flashing a small smirk, and then disappeared out the door, leaving Sakura to mull over the information he had passed along.


	3. Questions

The Ninja Way: Chapter 2 _Neji's Revelation_

**Full Summary: **What would you do if the world suddenly turned upside-down? Would you change yourself to adjust, and risk breaking apart, or would you keep on going the same way you always have? The ninja way you uphold must be flexible, but can it ever be?

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto.

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Neji sighed. Why HAD he told the Haruno? He'd been ordered not to, and yet he did, anyway. Maybe he was sick? Or coming down with something? What he had told her was true, though. He felt that THEY, out of anyone, should know. They had been friends, teammates, and somewhat like family. Besides, Sakura was most likely going to be put at ease that he was at least alive and well.

Shaking his head a bit to clear it, he continued on towards Training Ground 13. It was quiet and peaceful there. He needed to meditate and clear his thoughts. He found it strange how he had come to hold a grudging respect for the pink-haired kunoichi. They'd become friends, somehow. He guessed that's just what happens when you grow up.

His thoughts kept drifting back to her, even as he sat under the shade of a large tree meditating. She had a rough time with the Uchiha, and yet, she had somehow managed to bounce back. How she could be so open with emotions and still be efficient in battle was beyond him. Emotions were weakness… Weren't they? And yet, the once-hopeless kunoichi had turned her life around 360 degrees just from the emotions stemming from the Uchiha's defection. They had made her stronger.

In a way, he envied her. She was so open. She his nothing. And yet, on the battlefield, she could be just as deadly and efficient as he was. It baffled him. Emotions would hold you back. They were a liability. A shinobi could NOT express emotion.

Breathing deeply, he settled into a meditative trance, organizing his thoughts. That Haruno sparked his curiosity, just as Naruto's unfaltering determination had. But… No. He could NOT dwell on such matters. He had to focus on the upcoming invasion of Sound. This battle would decide the fate of all of the 5 Great Shinobi Nations. He blinked. He could've hit himself. He was going back to that whole fate thing. Greeaaaaaaaaat.

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Short, but hey, it's an update. Anyhow, the reason Neji and Sakura hold each other in such high esteem is because they are exact opposites. Neither can quite grasp how the other manages to do it. It will be going through several POVs, seeing chracters through the eyes of other chracters, ect. So this isn't necessarily a Neji/Saku. Just a heads up. -grins, rubbing back of neck sheepishly- Eheh. Ja for now, you guys!


	4. Bird of Prey

The Ninja Way: Chapter 4: _Bird of Prey  
_

**Full Summary: **What would you do if the world suddenly turned upside-down? Would you change yourself to adjust, and risk breaking apart, or would you keep on going the same way you always have? The ninja way you uphold must be flexible, but can it ever be?

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto.

* * *

His eyes hurt. His head hurt. Everything about him fucking _hurt_. And he was _pissed_.

He rose, rotating his shoulders, his neck cracking into place. _Fuck_. There was an annoying buzzing in his ears that just would not fucking disappear. He was maybe three seconds from simply wrapping his fingers around the source, and squeezing the living fuck out of it. And to top it all off, he was soaking wet. _FUCK_.

"Tobi, shut the FUCK up, un," he hissed, rubbing his temples. He was so annoyed, he was almost literally seeing red. The little pain had been chattering on about absolutely NOTHING for four fucking hours. Not that he wasn't grateful. Sorta. Tobi had stopped him from blowing himself up. Apparently, he'd noticed the snake summon, and done SOMETHING to stop his ultimate art. Actually, he was pissed about that, too. The nerve. And he actually hoped for a moment there that Tobi had gotten away safely? Damn Tobi. But damn Uchihas more. At least being alive meant he could still blow things up. Eventually.

His hand chewed clay idly as two other sets of his teeth ground in frustration. Not going out with a bang like he'd planned had sponged up just about every speck of his chakra. Which was why he'd had to run, at a normal, chakraless, speed, for the better part of an hour, to find cover from the rain that decided to start pouring down in buckets. Fuck rain.

His chakra was so low, that if Tobi would just shut up, Deidara would be able to completely forget he was there. He couldn't feel someone else's chakra right now if they were sitting on top of him. Unfortunately, his ears still worked fine. The little hellhole they'd taken shelter in wasn't much comfort, either. It was tiny and damp, with just barely enough room for a fire, which meant Tobi was squishing against his back so that he wouldn't go up in flames. His jaw was starting to ache. He was grinding his teeth too hard.

"Tobi, seriously, shut up. I think someone is coming." That made him stop. Deidara's eyes narrowed, and he peered out into the low layer of fog. '_Tch. Bouncing green balls of light?_ _I must be loosing it._" But he wasn't seeing things. It was getting closer. He snuffed out their smokeless fire, taking out a kunai. Drained of chakra or not, he'd be damned if he let Tobi take care of it. Whatever it was, it wasn't fooled by Deidara's nearly inexistant chakra levels. It was beelining for them. The glow was green soft, but was slowly sharpening into a wicked blue as it sliced through the fog toward them. Deidara's blood pressure rose minutely, and he raised the kunai ever so slightly, preparing to strike

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A little out of the village rendevous.


	5. Taking Wing

The Ninja Way: Chapter 5:_ Taking Wing  
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**Full Summary: **What would you do if the world suddenly turned upside-down? Would you change yourself to adjust, and risk breaking apart, or would you keep on going the same way you always have? The ninja way you uphold must be flexible, but can it ever be?

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Naruto.

* * *

Within about 10 seconds, she was on him. A furious ball of clashing colors and deadly glowing chakra. One tiny hand had him pinned by the neck to what had to be, in his opinion, the most uncomfortable wall in the world. The other hand hovered in front of him, aglow with menacing blue chakra, fingers straight and aiming toward his chest. Her gaze burned with a tempestuous fire he rarely saw outside of an explosion. He barely had time to register that the hostility in those emerald orbs was vaguely impressive. Where the hell was Tobi when he could have at least served as a distraction?

"I thought I recognized that chakra," she intoned, her lips set between a snarl and a frown. He could see the war between wanting to destroy him, and her instinct as a medic to tear off the hackjob that was his sewn arms and stick them back on properly behind her eyes as she blew a stray strand of pink from her face. Just as he began to wonder exactly how she hadn't gotten soaked in the pouring rain, her grip on his throat tightened ever so slightly. Okay. She had his attention.

Wait. Pink hair? Now he remembered. This little girl had been the one who killed Danna. He must have let his realization show in his face, because her eyes narrowed a little bit, and he noticed the almost imperceptible muscle in her arm tense just slightly.

"Remember me now, huh?" Her mouth settled into a grim line, but her eyes still burned, swirling with rampant emotion. "That's great, cuz you and me are gonna have a little chat. If you're a good boy, I won't have to smash in that pretty face of yours." He sighed. Great. Just great. The mouths in his hands watered slightly as he briefly imagined blowing her to little bits, and he clenched his fists to shake it off, his eyes focusing again on the girl.

"Hmph. I'm not exactly the greatest host, un." Her lips twitched into a wry smile, and she pressed his back a bit harder into the rock wall. "Fine, fine. What do you wanna know? And take it easy with the wall. I have enough bruises already, un." As if he wasn't in enough pain. Damn. Her eyebrow rose a fraction of an inch, and his gaze involuntarily moved to her forehead. She seemed not too fond of that, because she shifted, and her hand briefly glowed more intensely, so he shifted his gaze back down to her eyes.

"I know you fought him. Uchiha Sasuke." It was his turn to raise his eyebrow as she hissed the name of the brat, even as the mention alone made his blood boil. The way she spat out his name. It was like if she could, she would physically take his name, spit on it, and then proceed to burn it, as though it was a curse. Not that curse was too far off. Damn Uchihas and their stupid cheating eye shit. "Tell me everything." He snorted a bit, and her eyes narrowed.

"What? You planning to do something about him, pinky?" Her glare bored into him, and he sighed. "Fine, un. But do we really have to do it like this? I'm cold, wet, and outta chakra. I could probably chew on you if I really wanted to. Maybe." She seemed to consider it. For a second he felt chakra reach into him from the hand on his neck. He almost groaned at how warm it was. It probed him for about half a second, then retreated, along with her hand. He rubbed the tender skin, then shuffled over to the fire he'd put out, nudging the embers with his foot until the flame reignited. Closing his eyes, he plopped against the wall by the feeble flame, then opened an eye to glance at her, as she edged into the miniscule space on the other side. "You got a name?" She hesitated.

"Sakura." Her gaze flickered from the flame to his face, then back to the flame, and he observed her watching it for a moment. She reached into her medical pouch, and withdrew a cloth-wrapped item. After a moment of hesitation, she proffered it to him, then turned slightly pink at his look. "What? It's not poison, ok? It's just to help you talk." He flashed her a slight smirk, taking it, and opened it. He bit into one of the rice balls viciously, took his time chewing, swallowed, and started to talk.

* * *

By the end of his account, her eyes were unfocused, and she poked at the fire absently with a stick. He could practically see her mind turning over each individual piece of information he had given, one at a time. He waited, and after a moment more, her eyes focused on him again.

"...He's really hopeless, isn't he?" He didn't answer. She wasn't really asking him, anyway. Her eyes were distant now, the flame in them still burning, but muffled. His head tilted to one side as an eyebrow rose. She sighed, and then steeled. The fire came back brighter, and her eyes locked with his. She moved to his side by the fire. "Whoever fixed you up sucks. Don't get any stupid ideas, though. It's only because I can't stand how bad it is. Feel free to consider it a trade for the information." Then her hands were on him, and he was warm again. Her chakra sung through him, soothing his battered body. His eyes closed. So. Fucking. Worth it.  
Seconds later, the hands and the warmth withdrew from him. He flexed his arms, testing them. The stitches were gone. The skin didn't pull anymore. His muscles no longer twinged when he worked them, and his fingers moved so fluidly, it was as if the connection between the nerves had never been disturbed. Most of his more agonizing aches were gone, as well. He nodded to himself appreciatively, then glanced up. She was already gone. A smirk pulled at his lips. What a crazy Konoha bitch.

* * *

That was fun. And yes, beat up criminals can always be persuaded better when you bring food. If there are two things in this world that talk, it's money, and food.


End file.
